1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a steering apparatus to be mounted on a motor vehicle, and more particularly to a steering apparatus in which an operating section (for example, switches) for operating other equipment (for example, vehicle mounted equipment) are installed on a steering wheel so that the other equipment are operable while the steering wheel is operated.
2. Description of the Related Art
Presently, switches for operating vehicle mounted equipment (for example, a car audio system, a car airconditioner and others) have been installed as additional components on a steering wheel of a motor vehicle. While a conventional steering apparatus has been made such that a tactile response to the on/off of a switch has not developed and the confirmation on the on/off operation of the switch has been made by viewing a monitor display unit or the like placed nearby. However, it is difficult to confirm the on/off operation while viewing the monitor display unit while the vehicle is being driven, and it is even troublesome in the driving operation.
In order to eliminate these drawbacks, there has been proposed a structure shown in FIGS. 5 and 6. As FIG. 5 shows, retractable projections 102 are provided in close proximity to each other on a circumferential surface of a grip section 101 of a joy stick 100, with four projections 102 being arranged vertically while four projections 102 being arranged horizontally, sixteen in total.
As FIG. 6 shows, the positions of the projections 102 correspond respectively to portions designated at numeral 104 when the driver grips the grip section 101 with his hand 103, that is, to the finger tips and the intermediate portions of the first to fourth fingers of the hand 103 and the portions of the palm close to the bases of the fingers. Although not illustrated, inside each of the projections 102, a vibration means is provided with a piezoelectric device whereby the projection 102 individually undergoes vibration control.
When the grip section 101 is held with the hand 103 so that the joy stick 100 is inclined in a desired direction, not only is the operation of vehicle mounted equipment made through a generated output signal accompanying that operation but also the aforesaid vibration means is driven on the basis of the same output signal to transmit vibration to the projection 102. The hand 103 can sense the vibrating projection 102 through a tactile impression and, therefore, the driver can confirm the vehicle mounted equipment, currently in operation, through the hand 103.
In this manner, since the operation of vehicle mounted equipment is confirmable through the tactile sense of the hand 103, the need for viewing the monitor display unit, maybe advantageously eliminated. However, even in this instance, some drawbacks still exist.
That is, this joy stick 100 requires a large number of projections 102, vibration means corresponding to each of the projections 102, control means for drive-controlling a large number of vibration means individually, which leads to an increase in the number of parts, a complication in its structure, an increase in its size, a rise in its manufacturing cost, and a problem of assembling work.
In addition, since an individual difference exists in the size of the hand 103 which is to operate the joy stick 100, that is, in the positions signified at the reference numerals 104, a difference may occur in sensing the vibrating projection 102 in the tactile way, which makes it difficult to accurately confirm the operation of the vehicle mounted equipment.